Method of making mucilaginous extract from seeds



.J. F. SANFTLEBEN METHOD OF MAKING MUCILAGINOUS EXTRACT FROM SEED S Jan. 19, 1932.

Filed Jan. 29, 1926 QQVENTOR Y 2 1M ATTORNEYS JOSEPH F. S'ANFTLEIBEN, or NEW YORK, N. Y., JAMES G. LIDGERWOOD, o. 1*. FOX, ALL or Patented Jan. 1 9,- 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE KITCHIN, OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA, DOING BUSINESS AS A SYNDICATE UNDEI? THILNAME OF FILTRATORS COMPANY METHOD OF MAKING-.MUCILAGINOUS EXTRACT FROM SEEDS Application filed .Tanuary 29, 1926. Serial No. 84,795.

\ My present invention relates to improvements in methods for extracting the mucilaginous constituents of seeds, particularly flaxseed, such extract having a particular utility v in the treatment of the w'aterin steam boilers and the like for the prevention of the deposition of solids from such water.

At the present time, there is in use a method of preventing incrustation in boilers, in which vegetable seeds, usually flax, are sub ected to steam under the pressure of the boiler to take out the mucilaginous constituents of the seeds,

the extract being delivered directly into the boiler from which the extracting steam 1s derived, so that both the inlet and the outlet of the closed container in which the extraction takes place, are under substantially the boiler pressure. I

Certain disadvantages arisefrom this arrangement and nlethod. For instance, objection is made to the making of unnecessary openings in the boiler pressure parts, which,

of course, is necessitated if the extract is to I be returned directly into the boiler. .Then,

too, the operation of the extractor is not capable of complete observation as to its action.

My present invention is an improvement in the method now in use and described above and also in the British patent to Kobseff No. 176,294, in that, instead of delivering the fluid, which results from the treatment of the fiaxseed or the like with steam and water, directly into the boiler, the water of which is to be treated, I provide means by which the fluid is permitted to flow into another vessel at a materially lower pressure than that of the closed vessel used in -such method but without permitting the pressure in the closed vessel to drop materially.

In the annexed drawing I have shown an arrangement embodying my novel apparatus by which my method may be carried out;

In the illustrative arrangement, 10 is a boiler or a pressure portion of a steam boiler, the steam space of which is connected'through a pipe 11 with a closed vessel 12 having a perforated container 13 in which the seeds from which the extract is to be obtained are placed. Fins 14 may be provided to afford tract in the glass 18.

\ heat radiation surfaces to lower the temperature of the contents of the closed vessel.

An outlet pipe 15 connects with the lower portion of the vessel 12 and is provided with a valve 16 which may be cracked or opened to a very slight degree, so that the extract which is formed in the vessel 12, may flow through this cracked valve into the receptacle 17 without permitting the pressure in the vessel12 to fall: materially below that of the source of steam, which, in the illustrative embodiment, is the boiler 10. i

A gauge glass 18 may be provided inthe outlet pipe 15 and, when the apparatus begins working, a supply of extract may be permitted to accumulate in the lower portion of the outlet 15 whilethe valve 16 is tightly closed andthen the amount of opening of the valve'16 can be regulated so as to maintain a substantially constant level of the ex The extract deposited in the vessel 17 may be supplied to the boiler whose incrustation is to be prevented in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by pouring it into the hot well from which the boiler feed water is drawn or ASSIGNOR TO JOHN LIDGERWOOD, NEW YORK CITY, N. Y., AND BORIS supplying it to the feed line. In fact, if desired, the outlet 15 beyond the valve 16 may be connected directly to the boiler feed line.

It will also be obvious that many different forms of valve or other control mechanism may be used to control the outflow of the extract, such as a globe-valve or the well-known float-controlled trap.

In carrying out my method, a quantity of flaxseed or the'like is placed in a container 13 in the vessel 12 and the cover on the vessel closed. Then the valve in pipe llis opened to admit high pressure steam into the vessel 12. The steam is condensed in the vesseland this condensate together with the steam extracts mucilaginous material from the seeds which is carried off by the condensate. This fluid flows through the cracked valve 16 into the receptacle 17, from which it may be delivered in any desired manner into the boiler water. As is well known, this mucilagformation of scale on the internal boiler sur faces.

tract resulting from I claim:

1. The steps in the extraction of the mucilaginous constituents from vegetable seeds which comprise treating the seeds with wet steam under super-atmospheric pressure in a closed vessel and permitting the liquid extract resulting from such treatment to escape to a receptacle at a pressure substantially lower than the pressure in said closed vessel while maintaining the pressure in said closed vessel.

2. The steps in the extraction of the mucilaginous constituents from vegetable seeds which comprise treatmg the seeds with wet steam under super-atmospheric pressure in a closed vessel and permitting the liquid exsuch treatment to escape substantially continuously to a receptacle at a pressure substantially lower than the pressure in said closed vessel while maintaining the pressure in said closed vessel.

JOSEPH F. SANFTLEBEN. 

